Possible rule changes, NCAAM style...

[Nevadaref]

I agree that putting discretion into the elbow rule is a bad thing and that it will greatly lessen the harsher FF being assessed.
The problem is that the coaches are unhappy because their guys are being penalized and thus a change will be made. Sadly, this change will make the game less safe for the players.

[JRutledge]

I do not think reducing the elbow consideration of if it is a FF is a bad thing. Many plays the elbow is totally inadvertent and part of the play. We all know when those situations are when someone swings for a purpose. And I bet even if they put it on the officials to decide what the ultimate penalty will be, we will see the NCAA still suggest that most of these plays will be a FF. It I think it will be when a player simply hits someone with an elbow will be reduced to likely a common foul (or PC foul). Coaches were already complaining and that will not change.

Peace

[johnny d]

Coaches are complaining about the rule, but very rarely do they complain about the call because they know there isnt any discretion. When this type of contact occurs, there will be a minimum of FF1. Now, everytime this happens, the coaches will be lobbying the officials that it should not be a FF, and as coaches are known to do, they will try to compare the penalty their player recieves to the player recieved by a player from the other team, even when the plays are not similar. The way the rule is now, you tell them contact with moving elbow above the shoulders, FF, and move on. They might not like it, but they know there is nothing to argue about. If changed, everyone of these calls is going to be a battle with a coach. Just adds more headache to a situation that was fairly easy to handle the way the rule is currently.